Rifle accessory rail, communication, and power transfer system

ABSTRACT

The present invention is related to weapons systems. In particular, the present invention is directed to accessory attachment systems for rifles and small arms weapons that enable attached accessory devices to draw power from a central power source and communicate with the user and/or other devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to weapons systems. In particular, thepresent invention is directed to accessory attachment systems for riflesand small arms weapons that enable attached accessory devices to drawpower from a central power source and communicate with the user and/orother devices.

The current rifles and small arm weaponry in use by US armed forces canbe equipped with numerous combat optics, laser designators/sights, andflashlights; all come with different power requirements and batterysupplies. The result is a heavy weapon and a heavier field load ofbatteries to accommodate the various accessories, which ultimatelyimpacts the soldiers' effectiveness, particularly on longer missions.One of the US Army focus areas is improving the performance of theirwarfighters' combat equipment while reducing the load that eachwarfighter has to carry. One of these efforts is concentrated onproviding advanced technologies to demonstrate the feasibility of aninnovative communications rail and power transfer system. The resultingsystem will be backwards compatible with current mission support devicesand accessories that mount to small arms weapons during operationalprocedures and it will reduce the overall weight penalties of thecurrent system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to accessory attachment systems forrifles and small arms weapons that enable attached accessory devices todraw power from a central power source and communicate with the userand/or other devices.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at leastone disadvantage of previous firearm accessory rails.

In a first embodiment of the present invention, there is provided afirearm accessory mounting rail for attachment of a firearm accessory tothe barrel of a firearm. The accessory rail may provide a connection forthe firearm accessory.

The present invention embodies firearm systems comprising at least onemounting rail comprising at least one power connection, at least onepower source, at least one rail accessory comprising a rail grabber ormount, wherein the at least one rail accessory receives electrical powerfrom the power source.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides an accessoryattachment system for rifles and small arms weapons that enablesattached accessory devices to draw power from a central power source andcommunicate with the user or other devices without exposed wires.

Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparentto those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the followingdescription of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction withthe accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 provides a drawing showing system architecture in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows the fully functional powered rail with integrated PCB andelectrical bus contacts.

FIG. 3 shows a powered rail accessory mounting assembly, a typicalembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 shows a typical embodiment of the powered rail power distributionsystem.

FIG. 5 shows a typical embodiment of the buttstock battery pack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For simplicity and illustrative purposes, the principles of the presentinvention are described by referring to various exemplary embodimentsthereof. Although the preferred embodiments of the invention areparticularly disclosed herein, one of ordinary skill in the art willreadily recognize that the same principles are equally applicable to,and can be implicated in other compositions and methods, and that anysuch variation would be within such modifications that do not part fromthe scope of the present invention. Before explaining the disclosedembodiments of the present invention in detail, it is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited in its application to the details ofany particular embodiment shown, since of course the invention iscapable of other embodiments. The terminology used herein is for thepurpose of description and not of limitation. Further, although certainmethods are described with reference to certain steps that are presentedherein in certain order, in many instances, these steps may be performedin any order as may be appreciated by one skilled in the art, and themethods are not limited to the particular arrangement of steps disclosedherein.

One of the US Army focus areas is improving the performance of theirland warrior's combat equipment while reducing the load that eachwarfighter has to carry. One of these efforts is concentrated onproviding advanced technologies to allow power transfer andcommunication among the accessory devices attached to the weapons usedby the land warriors in the adverse environment in which they operate.Currently, the Program Executive Office (PEO) has stated the need for asuperior accessory rail communication and power transfer system. A lightweight and high-efficiency accessory attachment and power transfersystem is necessary to allow the warfighter to operate the multipleaccessories using a single power source, while maintaining themodularity of the weapon according to the specific mission. The devicesthat attach to the weapons use the MIL-Std-1913 rail (“Picatinny rail”).The current attachment rail can hold devices such as spotlights andflashlights, laser designators, reflex optics, night vision systems, andother devices, each with unique power requirements that require soldiersto carry multiple type batteries for each accessory. The innovation ofthe proposed communication and power transfer system resides in theability to power multiple devices (with different power requirements)from a single source, while maintaining the standard attachmentmodularity of existing devices and reducing the soldier's load byeliminating the need for multiple type batteries.

The development of the communication rail and power transfer systemmeets the need for the innovative technologies that can mitigatedeficiencies of the existing system. Therefore, a business opportunityexists to apply new technologies (mechanical designs andelectromechanical concepts) to engineer and develop a new communicationand power transfer system that can provide:

-   -   Higher power densities from a single compact source, eliminating        multiple types of batteries    -   Reduction of battery mass and volume    -   Significant system-weight reduction    -   Backwards compatibility with existing systems (MIL-STD-1913 rail        and accessories)    -   Capability for multi-functional operation (multiple power        requirements)    -   Reliability during operation and handling in adverse mission        environments (Rain, Mud, Sand)    -   Compact design for practical transportability    -   Centralized power supply, concentrating battery mass towards the        rear of the weapon, thereby maintaining the center of gravity        and improving weapon handling    -   Structural toughness to withstand rough usage    -   Flexible manufacturability and affordability

The present invention provides a modular accessory rail communicationand power transfer system developed from the detailed analysis ofproprietary conceptual designs that suggest the use of availablelightweight conductive materials, and consider multiple featuresspecifically designed to optimize the system's weight, power efficiency,and soldier's performance. Simultaneously, the design takes intoconsideration the deficiencies of the existing system, and therequirements and guidelines proposed by the Test Operating Procedure(TOP) 3-2-045, 1-2-502 for durability, and the functionalityspecifications from MIL-Std-1913.

The present invention focuses on the design, development, integration,and interaction of five main components:

-   -   Picatinny Hand guard rail    -   Modular weapon system (MWS) Mounting    -   Rail power distribution    -   Battery power pack    -   Rail communications

PPI' s new cost competitive and innovative communications rail and powertransfer system would allow the US military not only to ensure thereliability and functionality of all existing small arms weapons; butalso would greatly improve the probabilities of implementing this newtechnology in other higher caliber weapons and/or military vehicles androtary aircraft. The technology would certainly find attractiveapplications inside the civilian market and has the potential torevolutionize the powering of electronic applications/devices thatrequire a single source of higher density power delivery with standardattachment options. FIG. 1 shows a diagram of the system architecture,which uses the following: a DC bus with galvanic contact, buttstockbattery pack, high power accessory module, low power accessory module,and hand guard user input device.

Picatinny Hand Guard Rail

The Picatinny hand guard rail assembly allows for mounting of differentdevices on the weapons. Most of the sights are the same among theweapons, but mounting of other accessories are unique and may bedifferent depending on mission requirements. For example, the User InputDevice, which provides control to Multi-function laser or Daylight VideoSight while holding the weapon. The installation of the M203 grenadelauncher which has different mounting configuration from the otheraccessories used on the rifle.

These devices are electrically powered by an integrated electrical busproviding electricity to any point of the hand guard rails. FIG. 2 showsthe fully functional powered rail with integrated PCB [201] andelectrical bus contacts [202].

Modular Weapon System Accessory Mounting

A typical embodiment of the invention includes the use of a powered railaccessory mounting assembly as shown in FIG. 3. The mounting assemblyattaches the typical accessory to the powered accessory rail andconsists of: the rail grabber [301], the spring contacts [302], thespring plungers [303], and the face seals [304]. The spring plungers[303] depress the snap-dome switches on the powered rail [201], thespring contacts [302] provide electrical contact with the fixedelectrical bus contacts [202] on the powered rail PCB assembly, and theface seals [304] provide environmental protection.

Rail Power Distribution

The main challenge during development was to demonstrate the feasibilityof a power and communication distribution system that would perform tomeet the rigors of the battlefield while maintaining the flexibility andmodularity of the weapon. This would require a system that is notaffected by the environment and does not require tools to use. PPI'sdesign approach was to use an integrated power and communication systemusing an A/C (for an inductive coupling system) or D/C (for galvaniccontact) bus to the Picatinny Rails. The rail design can be modified tokeep the same modularity without compromising the structural andfunctional aspects of the design while providing a conduit andconnection point for the power and communications.

In FIG. 4, the electrical wire [401] is routed from the battery pack[402] in the buttstock [403] to the powered foregrip rail [404]. Theexternal wiring [401] is housed inside a durable and impact resistantrigid polymer shroud that conforms to the lower receiver. The shroud issecurely retained by the takedown pin, as well as the bolt release rollpin or in the trigger/hammer pins. The use of these pins eliminates theneed to modify the lower receiver to accommodate the power cable wire[401]. The design also provides an easy access for replacement or repairof the cable assembly and eliminates snag hazards or interferences withthe rifle operation and requires no modifications to the rifle lowerreceiver housing.

Battery Power Pack

The purpose of the consolidation of the batteries into one power unit isto reduce system weight, improve weapon balance and handling; thebattery system must incorporate batteries with high power density. Keyto the development was the design of a central power source that wouldreplace the various size batteries that are currently used in theaccessories. PPI researched and determined the necessary size of thecentral power source, the most suitable location, and developed apreliminary design of the battery compartment. PPI evaluated theaccessory power loads, and with input from the Army, determined thehighest power draw that the system would be required to handle.

A buttstock/recoil tube battery pack assembly includes an adjustablebuttstock [501], a cam latch [502], a removable battery pack [503], anda quick release mechanism [504], as shown in FIG. 5. The buttstock [501]adds a compartment to the underside of the buffer tube assembly whichallows the battery pack [503] to be installed and withdrawn for removalthrough the rear of the rifle. The battery pack [503] mounts on thebuffer tube independent of the buttstock [501] which telescopes alongthe rifle. The buttstock [501] is adjustable and can be extended invarious multiple intermediate positions providing an adjustable overalllength of the firearm.

These and other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in theart, all within the scope of the present invention, which is definedsolely by the claims appended hereto.

1. A firearm system comprising: at least one mounting rail comprising anelectrical contact; at least one power source; at least one railaccessory; and wherein the at least one rail accessory receiveselectrical power from the power source.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the power source is a battery pack.
 3. The system of claim 2,wherein the battery pack is located in the buttstock.
 4. The system ofclaim 1 further comprising a power switch for controlling the flow ofelectrical power from the power source to the rail accessory.
 5. Thesystem of claim 1 wherein the at least one powered mounting rail is adetachable mounting rail.
 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the at leastone powered mounting rail a Picatinny rail.
 7. The system of claim 1,further comprising a butt stock assembly wherein the buttstock assemblycomprises the power source.
 8. The system of claim 1, further comprisingan external power pack wherein the external power pack comprises thepower source.
 9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a foregripassembly wherein the foregrip assembly comprises the power source. 10.The system of claim 8, wherein the external power pack attaches to themounting rail.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the power source islocated in a pistol grip.
 12. The system of claim 1 further comprising:a first rail accessory mechanically connected to the at least onemounting rail and electrically connected to the at least one powerconnection; a second rail accessory mechanically connected to the atleast one mounting rail and electrically connected to the at least onepower connection.
 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least onemounting rail is a detachable mounting rail.
 14. The system of claim 1wherein weight is moved rearward in the weapon, eliminating the need toemploy discrete batteries in accessories at the front of the weapon